Colorado Again Wins in Last Seconds : Nonconference: Buffaloes’ 24-yard field goal with time running out earns them a 34-31 victory over Texas.

Colorado didn’t need a miracle this time--only Rashaan Salaam, Herchell Troutman and Neil Voskeritchian.

One week after defeating Michigan on a last-second, 64-yard pass, the fifth-ranked Buffaloes downed No. 16 Texas, 34-31, Saturday behind Salaam’s 317-yard rushing effort, Troutman’s three touchdown runs and Voskeritchian’s 24-yard field goal with one second left.

“A lot of people think Colorado is lucky because they keep winning at the buzzer. They are not,” Texas Coach John Mackovic said. “They are a very good football team.”

“I hope the guys don’t think they need to make it exciting just for me,” Colorado Coach Bill McCartney said. “I’ll take a boring win any time. I feel like I’ve aged 10 years in seven days.”

Salaam carried 35 times and gained the most yards ever against the Longhorns, topping the 251 by Pittsburgh’s Curtis Martin in Texas’ season opener and Southern Cal’s C.J. Roberts in 1956.

It was the second-most rushing yards ever by a Colorado player, 25 yards less than Charlie Davis’ record against Oklahoma State in 1971.

“He ran with resolve and toughness, and he just kept coming back,” McCartney said.

Salaam, who scored on a six-yard run and caught five passes for 45 yards, was modest about his spectacular performance.

“I don’t see myself as the hero. I think the offensive line is the hero,” said the junior tailback, whose previous high was 184 yards in Colorado’s season opener against Northeast Louisiana.

After Texas (3-1) tied it on Phil Dawson’s 47-yard field goal with 4:49 remaining, Colorado drove 73 yards in 13 plays for the winning field goal. Texas called a timeout with four seconds left to make Voskeritchian nervous, but he booted it straight through for Colorado’s first last-minute, game-winning field goal since 1947.

“I felt sure he was going to make it,” McCartney said. “I have a lot of confidence in him.”

After the field goal, Colorado (4-0) kicked off and tackled Gerrod Coleman as time expired.

One of the key plays on the winning drive was a tipped, 11-yard pass from Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook, the same pair that connected on the tipped “Miracle at Michigan” pass last week.

“This week, we had a little more control over our fortunes,” McCartney said. “Against Michigan, it was just a lucky play.”

The game was played in sweltering heat before 77,809 fans at Memorial Stadium, the Longhorns’ first sellout for a non-conference game since 1984.

“Obviously our team is down and disappointed,” said Texas quarterback Shea Morenz, who strained his left knee in the fourth quarter but continued to play. “But we will use this loss positively and regroup for the Oklahoma game (next week in Dallas).”

It was Colorado’s third consecutive victory over a ranked opponent. The Buffaloes defeated No. 15 Wisconsin, 55-17, and No. 7 Michigan, 27-26.

“That’s hard to do,” McCartney said. “These guys have a lot of grit.”

The loss snapped a remarkable streak for Texas, which lost for the first time in its 102-year history when scoring 25 points or more at home. The streak spanned 251 games.